Interview time with Lonesome Wyatt

Lonesome Wyatt creates something different, a sound unlike anything you have heard. Often labelled 'Gothic Country', Wyatt weaves tales of misery, horror, sin and sadness, an emotional roller coaster that takes you from the old country to the bottom of a grave in mere seconds. Making strange and sad music from a time that never was, Wyatt has managed to earn a loyal cult of fans. Give his music a listen to and I am sure you will become one too.

Below we discuss with Wyatt his latest musical ventures, his novel and upcoming Halloween plans

'The Golden Rule'

1. Could you introduce yourself for all those who have not heard of you? Hello. I am called Lonesome Wyatt.

2. You perform in 'Those Poor Bastards' and your own 'Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks', how would you describe the sound of these two bands and what role do you play in them?
Those Poor Bastards was started as a kind of anti pop country music project. We wanted to bring all the broken, weird, uncommercial ugliness of early country into our glossy and clean modern world. It has a broken and violent sound. The members are The Minister (banjo, bass, etc.) and me. I write the songs.

The Holy Spooks is a solo project and has more of a creepy and haunted sound. It’s built around a feeling of solitude and isolation and old fashioned oddness. Some people have said it has a “Victorian style,” whatever that means.

3. Where did the name Those Poor Bastards come from? and what are the Holy Spooks?
The phrase “those poor bastards” just happened to be in a book I was reading when I was trying to think of a band name. It had a nice ring to it. I wanted something that would sound really pitiful and crude.

The Holy Spooks are the feeling you get when you know someone is watching you, but cannot see them.

4. What is the distinction between the two bands?
TPB songs tend to be more loud, mean and religiously obsessed, whereas The Holy Spook ones are more personal, sad and quiet. There are exceptions of course, but I guess that’s the general difference.5. The music is rather unique, often labelled 'Gothic Country' what inspires you to create such dark and miserable tales?
Mostly loneliness and fear.

6. Have you always been drawn to the occult, horror and the strange?
I have. When I was growing up my family watched a lot of horror movies and I remember reading HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe at a very young age. My father even thought he was a werewolf for a while, so that weirdness stuck with me.

A couple months ago you put out 'Behold the Abyss' with 'Those Poor Bastards' and most recently 'Ghost Ballads' with the holy spooks. Let's talk about Edgar Switchblade and 'Behold the Abyss first...

7. Not often does an album come with an accompanying novel, can you tell us a bit about 'The

Terrible Tale of Edgar Switchblade'? was this your first novel?
I’m not very good and summarizing things, so I’ll just put what it says on the back of the book: “Enter the world of Edgar Switchblade - religiously obsessed, mentally disturbed, born with cloven hooves - a bounty hunter who will stop at nothing to capture his prey. With his faithful horse Old Red by his side, armed with only a switchblade and an unquenchable taste for human flesh, he befriends and destroys werewolves, ghosts, prostitutes and other strange creatures. Together they wander through bitter darkness in a desperate search for God’s cruel light.”

This was my first book, but the plan is to make a whole series of them.

8. How does the album connect with the novel?
The album expands on some of the themes and ideas of the novel. It wasn’t my original intention to make an accompanying album, but Edgar Switchblade was all I could think about at the time and the songs just came oozing out of me. I had no choice.

9. As for 'Ghost Ballads' rumor has it you recorded it in a haunted hotel? Any strange occurrences take place?
That’s true. It was recorded at a place known as “Hotel Hell.” There were supposed to be witches and demons and ghosts there, but I think I scared them all away.

10. What can we expect from Ghost Ballads?
You can expect spooky story songs of death and doom, and grim, ghostly happenings from beyond the grave.

11. Out of all the material you have put out over the years, which song or album are you most proud of?
Right now I’d have to say “Ghost Ballads” is my favorite thing I’ve ever done. It’s the first time that the songs actually turned out like I heard them in my head. I don’t feel as embarrassed or ashamed as I usually do after releasing out an album.

12. To a new listener what is a good entry level song to check out?
“The Golden Rule,” is a good one for the Holy Spooks and probably “Crooked Man” for Those Poor Bastards.

13. I am a huge fan of your album with Rachel Brooke, how did that pairing come to be?
Rachel and I exchanged CDs at a show we played together in Montana, and I was really impressed by the sadness of her first album. I mentioned to her that we should do a 7” or something and we ended up making “A Bitter Harvest.”

She’s a very talented lady.

14. Do you know any others who are creating music similar to you?
I don’t really know of anyone, but I’m pretty out of the loop as far as modern music goes.

15. What else can we expect from you in 2013?
Lately I’ve become very interested in Halloween albums from the 50’s and 60’s and I realized that no one really makes that kind of stuff anymore. My plan is to release a 10” record of Halloween themed stories and songs this October.

I don't want to take up too much of your time. Thanks for doing this for Metalhorizons, do you have any final words for your fans new and old?
Don’t let the emptiness of this dull and awful world kill your imagination.